The Philippine National Police Maritime Group launched Tuesday the “I-Report Mo Sa Pulis” thru the Smart network against all illegal activities at sea.

The scheme is like this: People first type in their cellphone screen Daloy space and Message and send to 3456. The launching is all reporting thru texting by cellphone with the Smart network against illegal fishing involving the use of dynamite, cyanide or poisoning, using fishnet not prescribed by law and harvesting sea products which are endangered banned species.

USAID Director Susan Brems said the prime mover of the project is Smart Network in partnership with the PNP Maritime Group, Dept. of Agriculture- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Eco- Fish and USAID.

“This is a century of climate change and environment. Let’s work together and make strength because we can not work it alone. We have to do it together to preserve and protect the environment”, Brems stressed.

Supt. Salbino Piad, chief, Regional Maritime Unit 9, said the project was launched in his command as Zamboanga City is the forefront of Mindanao.

PNP Maritime Group Deputy Director for Operations Sr. Supt. Jonathan Ablang said that Zamboanga Peninsula is a vast area with Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. “All lawlessness committed at sea are associated with illegal fishing, smuggling and piracy,” Ablang said.

The Philippine Center on Transnational Crime Western Mindanao Field Office also reported that the area is also used for human trafficking and other illegal recruitment bound for other countries, Ablang said. — Allen Abastillas